In catalytic chemical reactors it may be advantageous to provide an even distribution of the inlet process fluid flow to the catalytic bed within the reactor, as this enhances the utilization and efficiency of the catalyst. This may be accomplished by fluid distributors located in the top of the reactor down-stream of the process gas inlet and above the catalyst bed.
In some cases, the process fluid supplied to the reactor comprises particles. As the particles may choke the catalyst, the life time of the catalyst may be prolonged if also a particle separator is located between the process gas inlet and the catalyst bed in the reactor. Optionally, the fluid distributor and the particle separator may be combined to one integrated unit, a tray fluid distributor and particle separator.
In the industry, for instance in the refinery industry, a significant number of reactors do not have any support ring to support a conventional type of tray design. However, the need for a tray to optimize fluid distribution or to collect scales or both may still exist. In order to meet that requirement the present invention discloses a new type of tray, which can be supported on the catalyst itself, a floating tray. The present invention further describes a range of improvements regarding mounting and dismantling of the floating tray within the reactor, emptying of collected particles, quick connections to mention some of the features.
US2009177023 discloses a filtration tray for a fixed bed reactor with a co-current down-flow of gas and liquid. The device can trap plugging particles contained in the liquid feed supplying a reactor functioning in gas and liquid co-current down-flow mode using a specific distributor tray comprising a filtration medium. The device is of particular application to the selective hydrogenation of feeds containing acetylenic and dienic compounds.
EP0358923 discloses a process and an apparatus for purifying a raw gas originating from the gasification of solids. In a process and apparatus for purifying raw gas from solids gasification, containing granular and dusty solids particles, a solution is to be found, by means of which solids particles of any size are largely removed from the raw gas before entry to downstream cooling devices. This is achieved when the raw gas is passed in a first purification stage from the gasification zone in a straight line in the direction of a gas-holding space, whereby the granular solids particles are precipitated at the bottom of the gas-holding space and then, in a second purification stage, the partially purified raw gas is laterally deflected from the gas-holding space and undergoes a change to a velocity reduced by a factor of at least 3 and, after a further gas deflection, is passed substantially in the vertical direction through a solids filter, where the dusty solids particles are removed from the raw gas.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,470,410 discloses a support system for use with a reactor vessel that defines a reactor zone and has an inlet manway providing an opening into the reactor zone. The support system comprises a manway insert that is supported by the inlet manway and extends through the opening of the inlet manway and into the reactor zone. Attached to the manway insert is attachment means for connecting a support hanger to the manway insert and for transferring the load from the support hanger to the manway insert. The support hanger has an upper end and a lower end with the upper end being fixedly attached to the attachment means and the lower end being fixedly attached to support structure means for supporting a load.
In spite of the above mentioned known art, a need exists for a reactor with a fluid distributor and optionally also a particle separator to ensure prolonged effective operation of the reactor and which may be installed and easily removed from the reactor without the need for support means attached to the reactor and utilizing the available existing openings in the reactor for service, assembly and dismantling.